Ball and socket joint



W. A. FLUMERFELT BALL AND SOCKET JOINT Jan. 27, 1942.

Filed June 3, 1940 "vim/ Patented Jan. 27, 1942 UNITED STA ES PATENT, OFF CE BALL AND SOCKETJOINT William A. Flumerfelt, Columbus, Ohio, assignor to The Columbus Auto Parts Company, Columbus, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Application June 3, 1940, Serial No. 338,448

' crest- 90) 3 Claims.

This invention relates to joint constructions and more especially to those of a character known as ball joints particularly adaptable for use in tie rod and drag link installations for automotive Another object of the invention resides in the provision of a joint structure which is of sealed construction with the lubricant initially assembled into the joint during its manufacture so that further lubrication of the structure during use becomes unnecessary.

Still another object of the invention is the provision of a sealed joint in which the ball configuration is formed of a plurality of hollow elements and the lower part of the joint housing closed by a cup shaped closure providing a relatively large lubricant reservoir for supplying lubricant to the bearing surfaces of the joint construction.

Further objects and advantages are within the scope of this invention such as relate to the arrangement, operation and function of the related elements of the structure, to various details of construction and to combinations of parts, elements per se, and to economies of manufacture and numerous other features as will be apparent from a consideration of the specification and drawing of a form of the invention, which may be preferred, in which Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view-showing a ball and socket construction of my invention;

Figure 2 is a horizontal sectional view taken substantially on the line 2-2 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is an elevational view partly in section members iormingithe ball'configuration of the joint n Figure? is ahorizontal view taken substantially on line 1-1 of Figure Figure 8 is an elevational view partly in section illustrating a closure for the lower portion of the joint housing; 1 v

Figure 9 is an elevational view partly in section illustrating aflexible closure for :.the upper end of the housing. y l 7 a While I have illustrated the joint construction as especially adaptedfor a tierod connection, it is to be understood .that my. invention may be I used in any arrangement where itmay be found to be applicable. 7

Referring to the drawingiin detail, there is illustrated a form of joint construction particularly designed for useasa tie rod connection to.

the dirigible or steerable wheel of a vehicle in which I!) designates the tie rod of tubular formation which is interiorly threaded at. one end as at l l to accommodate a threaded tenon 13 formed as an integrallextension. of,.a joint housing I4.

} The wall'of the tube adjacent tenon I3 is slotted longitudinally as at l5 and surroundingthe tube is a clamp or collar l6 arranged to be drawn into clamping'engagement with tie rod tube) by means of bolt l1 and nut (not shown), this means serving tolock the tierod and joint housing in fixed relation. The housing I4 is of hollow configuration preferably with the interior wall of cylindrical configuration which terminates at its upper extremity in an inwardly extending circular shoulder or flange'ZD.

Extending into the housing is a stud member 22 having a tapered shank portion 23 adapted to receive an arm: 24 which is connected to a dirigible vehicle wheel (not shown), the arm 24 being: held in place by means of a' washer 25 and a; nut 26 engageable with a threaded tenon 21 integrally formed upon theupper'end of stud 22, the nut being locked in position by means ofv a cotter key 28 or other locking means. The lowof a stud member forming an element of the invention.

Figure 4 is an elevational view illustrating one of the bearing members of the joint structure;

Figure 5 is a horizontal sectional view taken substantially on line 5-5 of Figure 4 looking in the direction of the arrows;

Figure 6 is an elevational view of one of the er extremity of the stud 22 is formed with a segmental spherically shaped portion 30' which projects int oothe interior of housing [4.

Positioned within the joint housing I4 and substantially surrounding the segmental spherical portion 30 of the stud member is a pair of complementary cup-like-members 3| and 32 having spherically vshaped inner and outer lateral, surfaces, the outer surfacesforming together a substantially ball shaped configuration, the-inner surfaces coinciding with and engaging the 6 looking in the di-v 1: rection of the arrowsp- 1 fitting into recess 33 and engaging the flattened.

portions 34 and 35 of members 3| and 32 is an expansive coil spring 36. Surrounding the members 3| and 32 are complementary bearing seats 31 and 3B which have spherical inner surfaces coinciding with and fitting the exterior. surfaces of members 3| and 32, the exterior surfaces of the bearing seat or members 31 and 33 being of cylindrical configuration to snugly fit within the cylindrical inner walls of the housing I4. The bearing seats 31 and 3B are preferably formed with peripheral grooves 39 and 4!] to provide lubricant spaces or channels between the bearing seat members and the walls of the housing.

The interior of the housing M at its lower portion is formed with a cylindrical recess 40 of larger diameter than the cylindrical configuration which accommodates the bearing seats 31 and 381 and fitted into this recess is an inverted cup-like metal closure 4|, the closure 4| being held in place by means of swaging a portion of the housing into engagement with the exterior surface of thecup as shown at 42 to seal the lower portion ofthe housing. The upper edge 50 of the flange 5| of the closure engages the shoulder formed by the junction of. the cylindrical walls of. different diameters in the interior of the housing, the shoulder forming a stop or positioning means forv the closure. The edge 53 also engages the lower surfaces of the bearing seats 31 and 33 to retain same against vertical movement in the housing.

The coil spring 36 expanding outwardly serves to forcibly urge the spherical portion of the stud.

member 30. into proper engagement with the longitudinally spacedmembers 3| and 32 urging these members into bearing engagement with the split seats 31 and. 33, forcing the latter into engagement with the interior wall of the housing so that-the elements of the joint are at all times resiliently maintained in proper engaging relationship preventing pounding out of the bearing elements. The expansible action of the spring also functions at all times to take up or compensate for any wear of the several bearing surfaces so as to eliminate looseness between the cooperating elements of the joint.

The upper exterior periphery of the housing i4 is provided with a peripheral groove or recess and fitting into this recess is a circular bead 45 integrally formed as a part of a flexible closure boot 43 of rubber or other flexible material. As

illustrated in Figures 1 and 9, the heading 45 is preferably provided witha metalwire reinforcement 41 preferably embedded therein, which serves to hold the beading 45 in the groove 44 of the housing to form a seal with the housing. Theupper portion of the boot: structure 45' is also provided with a beading 48 in which is embedded or. moulded a wire reinforcementAS, the beading 48 surrounding the stud member adjacent the lower surface of the arm 24. The beading 4%.of the boot structure adheres to the studmember 22- and provides a seal between .the' boot. and the stud member.

It is to be noted that the space between the lower surface of the stud member 22 and the interior surface of the members 3| and 32 forms a lubricant reservoir. The space between the exterior flattened surfaces of the members 3| and 32 and closure 39 also forms a lubricant reservoir which is in communication with the first mentioned reservoir through a space formed by curved edge portions 44 of the members. 3| and 32 as particularly shown in Figures 1 and 7. When the joint structure is assembled the reservoirs so formed are filled with suitable lubricant and after the closure 4| is secured in place and the upper portion of the housing is closed by the flexible boot- 48; there is provided a completely sealed joint structure embodying an ample supply of lubricant for the bearing surfaces, which is sufficient for the life of the joint structure.

One of the outstanding features of the joint of the character above described is that the ball configuration of the joint isformed by a pair of complementary hollow members and that the studmember andspring 36- serve to hold the ball forming members and. 32 in proper position in the bearing seats 31 and 38 so that relative movement of the stud member is transmitted to the members 3!, and 32 and therefore the movement occurs. between the exterior. surfaces of said members and the interior spherical surfaces of the bearing seats 31. and 38. While there may be some slight relative movement between the exterior surface of the spherically shaped portion 3|! of the stud member and the interior concave surfaces of members 3| and 32,

the spring 36 tends to resist this relative movement and to transfer the movement. to members 3| and 32,

It is apparent that, withinthe scope of the invention, modifications and different arrange- ,ments may be made other than is herein disclosed, and the present disclosure is illustrative merely, the invention comprehending all variations thereof.

What I claim is:

l. A ball stud assembly: adapted for use in a joint structure having a hollow housing provided with interior bearing surfaces, said ball stud assembly including a stud member having an enlarged portion arranged to extend into the housing; said enlarged portionhaving a flattened bottom central portion; a pair of similarly shaped elements substantially surrounding and in engagement with the enlarged portion of said stud member, the exterior lateral surfaces of said elements forming together a partial ball shaped configuration; and spring means positioned within said'elements; and fittingv the. central flattened bottomportionof said stud member and directly engaging the inner surfacesof said elements.

2. A ball stud assembly adapted for use in a joint structure having a hollow housing provided with interior bearing surfaces, said ball stud assembly including a stud member having an enlarged portion extending into the housing; the

outer surface of said enlarged portion shaped to a segment of a sphere and its bottom section formed with a central recess; a pair of similarly shaped elements substantially surrounding and in engagementwith the enlarged portion of said stud member, the xteriorv lateral surfaces of said elements forming together a partial ball shaped configuration; portions of the interior surfaces being in engagement with the spherically shaped portion of the studmember; resilient means poshaped sheet metal elements substantially surrounding and portions of the interior surfaces being in engagement with the-spherically shaped portion of said stud member, the exterior lateral surfaces of'said elements forming together a partial ball shaped configuration, the lower portions of said sheet metal elements being fiattened; and resilient means positioned within said elements and fitting in the central recess in said stud member and directly engaging the flattened inner surfaces of said elements.

WILLIAM A. FLUMERFELT. 

